The StarPhoenix » Canadahttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com
The StarPhoenixSun, 02 Aug 2015 18:22:46 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/http://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.png » Canadahttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com
OLYMPIC LEVEL HOCKEY AMAZING AS CANADA WINS GOLDhttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2014/02/23/olympic-level-hockey-amazing-as-canada-wins-gold/
http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2014/02/23/olympic-level-hockey-amazing-as-canada-wins-gold/#commentsSun, 23 Feb 2014 23:48:04 +0000http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/?p=8466After that display of elite level hockey, the NHL basically have no choice but to stay involved in Olympic hockey. The games don’t always play out as expected – Canada did not rack up huge offensive numbers – but how …]]>After that display of elite level hockey, the NHL basically have no choice but to stay involved in Olympic hockey. The games don’t always play out as expected – Canada did not rack up huge offensive numbers – but how they play out is always fantastic, and in this tournament, a deep and well rounded team proved to be nearly impossible to score on. Maybe some fans did not have an appreciation for that type of game before this tournament, but they should have a sense for it now.
The pace at times was incredible …. Canada versus USA was extremely fast hockey …. And at other times, the control of games and the skill level was flat out amazing. For fans of the shootout, they witnessed an Ilya Kovalchuk against TJ Oshie shot marathon …. There were even a few Cinderella stories, as Slovenia and Latvia put forth solid efforts …
As for the Gold Medal game, the Swedes looked overmatched and overwhelmed from the outset. Team Canada iced a team that featured a lot of guys who could skate extremely well, a lot of huge bodies and a lot of very accomplished and crafty players. The Canadians controlled the game and dictated the pace in every game, and though a lot was made of their low scoring contests, as a Canadian hockey fan, doubt and fear of losing were not present. The team never allowed an opponent to push them to the point of panic, or to have their game and strategy fall apart.
For Carey Price, this was his opportunity to emerge, step up as an elite goalie. He played very well, showing everyone what he can be at his best. Calm, steady, unflappable. Making the saves when needed.
On the blueline, Drew Doughty and Shea Weber were world class in every sense. Erik Karlsson had a good tournament, yes, but Doughty and Weber showed that they are dominant players, game changers, players that set the tone from the back end. Along with Zdeno Chara, the 4 best defenceman in the world were showcased in this tournament.
Regarding the low scoring from Canada, it was misleading because the team was able to control all the games. Instead of looking at stats, you had to watch the games, and watch the Canadian forwards push the pace and set the tempo against their opponents. The explosive speed and relentless effort of Crosby, the smarts of Toews, the big bodies and physical load that Benn – Getzlaf – Perry brought, the subtle speed of Carter moving the puck up the ice and getting pucks on net. It was too much for any other nation to handle.
Did Crosby struggle at times ? Yeah, he did. But his effort, as always, was there. Many of the guys took a few games to get the feel of a new team, and new linemates. So it was for Crosby. The effort was there, and you knew that, as long as he focused on the game and didn’t allow himself to be distracted, he would have an impact. 1 goal and 2 assists in 6 games might not be his usual line, but his presence was duly noted by opponents, and he was a threat when on the ice, especially after teaming up with Patrice Bergeron. The two of them created a lot of chances and kept opponents on their heels. Sid kept his composure, hit the ice and put in a great effort. His breakaway goal was an absolute classic. It was good to see him get that, the great speed and simple deke …. Maybe this is the reset Sid needed as far as success under pressure goes.
Getting to see Martin St Louis receive some well deserved ice time in the Gold medal game was a treat. The little guy should have been winging it with Crosby the whole time, so to see him buzzing around in a Gold medal game, well, good for him. A Gold Medal to go with his Stanley Cup ring and Hall of Fame career. The emotion he showed talking after the game was moving.
And the fans …. Well, bars opened early in the morning in Canada, the beer flowed before breakfast on a Sunday, the pubs were packed, and a nation of roughly 35 million paid close attention to an event in a small Russian city …. As much as I love the NHL, it just doesn’t have that kind of stroke …. People that either don’t follow NHL hockey, or are vaguely aware of it, watched this game. They got up well before sunrise to watch a hockey game in a city they would not be able to find on a globe. Did hockey take over the Olympics ? Yes. And that is just fine – it is what the fans wanted and made happen. The men’s hockey event is the crown jewel of the winter Olympics with NHL players.
Yes, after that awesome display of hockey, at the best on best level, the NHL would do well to recognize that this benefits the league, the players and the owners ….. because almost every hockey fan in the world tunes in for the tournament. Maybe it doesn’t result in a direct and immediate flood of cash into owners wallets, but if they take a long look at things, hopefully they understand that the payoff is there … The NHL has been involved in 5 Olympic tournaments now over a span of 16 years, and the league is more profitable than ever. The player makeup in the league is as diverse as ever. Having NHL players in Russia for the Olympics was not hard to grasp, as the game has a serious following in that region . The opportunity to showcase hockey in southeast Asia should be locked down ASAP.
It is unfortunate that guys like Garth Snow and Ed Snider speak out so vehemently against the Olympics and the use of NHL players, but not everyone sees the big picture. The bottom line here is that the fans want the players in the Olympics. And without the best players in the world, the Olympic tournament becomes little more than a third rate travelling circus, a sideshow played out by teams that would be lucky to be competitive in the AHL ….
Obviously it is the greed factor at work, and who gets the money, NHL owners or the IIHF, or the IOC …. So whatever it takes, split the pot, otherwise all parties will suffer. Just make sure the best players play in the Olympics.]]>http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2014/02/23/olympic-level-hockey-amazing-as-canada-wins-gold/feed/0krissmith1Wall and Broten share moustache woeshttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/11/15/wall-and-broten-share-moustache-woes/
http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/11/15/wall-and-broten-share-moustache-woes/#commentsFri, 15 Nov 2013 23:58:16 +0000http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/?p=8336Opposition Leader Cam Broten and Premier Brad Wall have at least one thing in common.

Halfway through Movember, Broten is worried that his moustache is multi-hued.

He this week pointed to jokes on Twitter about Just For Men, while telling …

]]>Opposition Leader Cam Broten and Premier Brad Wall have at least one thing in common.

Halfway through Movember, Broten is worried that his moustache is multi-hued.

He this week pointed to jokes on Twitter about Just For Men, while telling reporters:

http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/11/15/wall-and-broten-share-moustache-woes/feed/0Movember - 15thspjoecouture1Legislature Movember begins, McMorris discusses showhttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/11/01/legislature-movember-begins-mcmorris-discusses-show/
http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/11/01/legislature-movember-begins-mcmorris-discusses-show/#commentsFri, 01 Nov 2013 18:20:22 +0000http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/?p=830500
The beginning of Movember was embraced at the Legislative Building in Regina this week. This year, government politicians are trying a new approach, with a team of MLAs growing the facial hair and female colleagues will judge the before …]]>

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The beginning of Movember was embraced at the Legislative Building in Regina this week. This year, government politicians are trying a new approach, with a team of MLAs growing the facial hair and female colleagues will judge the before and after.00

Here at the growers with the judges. Women left to right: Minister Christine Tell, Minister June Draude and Caucus Chair Doreen Eagles | Supplied photo

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The Opposition caucus is also participating in Movember this year. A handful of MLAs including both Leader Cam Broten and Deputy Leader Trent Wotherspoon, as well as male staffers, will be growing moustaches and raising donations on MOspace as a team... . .

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Highways Minister Don McMorris was asked in a scrum this week about the TV show starring his sons, snowboarders Mark McMorris and Craig McMorris. McMorris & McMorris debuts tonight on MTV Canada and Minister McMorris shared some thoughts about the project with reporters:

Reporter: Excited for the show tomorrow?

McMorris: Yeah. Well. Maybe … I’m excited but scared. I’ve seen the first episode and the second episode and they have a lot of fun and I think it’s going to be well received. I hope it is, for what it is. It’s kind of an interesting look into you know, Mark, the first episode at the X Games and what’s going through his head. And they’re behind the scenes quite a bit where most people don’t get to see. So I hope people enjoy it. That’s what it’s meant to be. The boys have loved it. They were amazed at how much time it’s take out of their life though to do 22 minutes, how many hours of filming that is, so that’s been a bit of a shock to them but they’re pretty excited. I think they’ve got their fingers cross that people enjoy it.

Reporter: What’s their commitment? More than one season?

McMorris: Not as of yet. Their commitment was eight episodes, which they’ve got complete, just for MTV Canada, but there really hoping that it can spread to MTV in the States. You kind of start looking at some of the comments after the trailer and there are a lot of people saying we wish we could get this in the States or over in Europe because the following isn’t just in Canada. So hopefully it can spread and if it does, there’s probably a much greater chance of having year No. 2.

Reporter: Do you show up in the show yourself?

Another reporter: I saw him!

(Laughter)

McMorris: Ha. That was a shot in a night club after Mark had done very well at the X Games, so we were celebrating a bit – but it was all perfectly legal. (More laughter.) But in the first episode, I am in a little bit, just because of the way the set up is, it’s all about them going away, so they’re at, well, they’re kind of the house, partially at the house before they leave and I have to get them up to get to the plane and helping out preparing the night before when they had the hockey game. So I’m in it a little bit, but very, very little, I mean I’m not in any other episode, I think maybe half a minute in the first episode, that’s about it... . .

]]>http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/11/01/legislature-movember-begins-mcmorris-discusses-show/feed/0spjoecouture1From left to right: MLA Greg Lawrence, MLA Greg Ottenbreitt, Minister Rob Norris, Minister Gord Wyant and Minister Randy WeekesHere at the growers with the judges. Women left to right: Minister Christine Tell, Minister June Draude and Caucus Chair Doreen EaglesShanahan to suspend a Red Wing ? Wait and Seehttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/05/05/shanahan-to-suspend-a-red-wing-wait-and-see/
http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/05/05/shanahan-to-suspend-a-red-wing-wait-and-see/#commentsSun, 05 May 2013 19:31:39 +0000http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/?p=7705– Red Wings are favored by the league office, but this time Shanahan might actually have to suspend a player from his old team and the logo he is identified with …. After sitting Eric Gryba down basically because Gryba …]]>– Red Wings are favored by the league office, but this time Shanahan might actually have to suspend a player from his old team and the logo he is identified with …. After sitting Eric Gryba down basically because Gryba bodychecked a player too hard with a clean and textbook hit, Shanahan now has to deal with as dirty a hit as you will ever see – a player launching himself, skates leaving the ice well before impact, a player elevating himself and targeting the head, and having the head as the principle point of contact, all the stuff the league says will get ya suspended ….. of course, Red Wing d-man Nik Kronwall is allowed to hit like that all the time, and has never had so much as a hearing or phone call, so don’t be even the least bit surprised if Shanahan trots out some b.s. propaganda that clears Abdelkader of all wrongdoing ….. but maybe, just maybe, Shanahan will be forced to actually suspend a Red Wing, and start making himself accountable for his decisions, which don’t often make sense when compared to each other ….. If Gryba gets 2 games for a clean hit, Abdelkader should sit for about 12 to 15 games in what was a dirty hit and an obvious attempt to take a player out of the game or series ….. Remember, the league has handed out big suspensions, but mostly to easy targets, either young players like Gryba or fringe tough guys like Trevor Gillies …. And don’t forget the 20 gamer to a young Steve Downie ….. very similar hit to the one Abdelkader threw …. Launching and targeting the head, and sending the player flying ….. that the league considers whether or not a guy gets injured is not smart – you want the blatant head shots out of the game, punish all attempts equally ….

– Great poise from Paul MacLean, who was an accomplished player in his day … basically laughing off the childish and immature comments from Brandon Prust …. Prust will never equal MacLean’s on-ice feats ….. let’s wait and see how Prust does with his physical appearance when he is two decades removed from the game ….

– NHL players are pretty much pricing themselves out of the Olympics with their demands for full insurance on all contracts … talk about greed and disregard for the game that makes them rich … if the NHL does not have players in the Olympics, it changes the idea of Olympic hockey from the best level of hockey that ever gets played to a level that would be considered a joke and a sideshow, and would change the care level of almost all hockey fans from “ Have to watch it “ to “ I need to shovel the sidewalk instead “ …. Huge shame on the nhlpa and the players if that happens ….

– CHL Final Series are underway …. In the dub, a 2012 redux, with Seth Jones and the Portland WinterHawks going against the defending champs, the Edmonton Oil Kings …. In the OHL, perennial powerhouse London Knights are playing the Barrie Colts ….. in the Q, the star studded Halifax Mooseheads are playing the Baie Comeau Drakkar …..

– Interesting watching the cycle of junior hockey, with three of the top 4 prospects powering their teams towards the Memorial Cup …. In other years, top draft prospects are not the driving force on their teams, merely support guys …. But with so many more teenagers breaking into the NHL again, young players are driving junior clubs again …. As it should be …. Remember the late 90’s when it was hard for young players to break in from junior, as NHL clubs preferred over-the-hill vets ?? ….

– Still waiting for a sale of the Phoenix Coyotes …. If the team moves, it is bad optics for hockey in the southern US …. What is forgotten, conveniently, by hockey fans in the north, is that during the 90’s, both the Flames and Oilers struggled at the gate, lost scads of money, and were both in danger of moving at times …. Now that the economy is booming in that region, they are doing okay …. Think that a massive city like Phoenix wont do well when the economy recovers ? As it is, they draw well, with so many Canadians in the area, and a lot of die-hard hockey fans following the team ….

– You go into a pub in the southern US, you are going to see hockey on the tv …. And this is thanks to NBC and Gary Bettman, even if it isn’t the popular thing to say …. Don’t buy into the idea that there is no interest in the sport in the southern US …. Look at how many kids from Cali are playing in the NHL. Seth Jones, son of an NBA basketball player, is going to be the top pick in the NHL draft because he liked hockey when his Dad played in a Denver, a former failed US market that thrived with the Avs for a decade, until Pierre Lacroix was finally able to decimate the team with poor trades and personnel decisions …

– Have to pull for Josh Harding in net for the Minnesota Wild …. Perseverance …. What a story ….

– Time for Ryan Smyth to retire. Sure, he wants to hang on for another year and couple million dollars, but he is way past his expiry date ….

– Still laughing at Kevin Lowe and his egotistical comments ….. here is the bottom line: He has been at the helm of a losing team for over a decade. His Cups were won as a player, when he was at best a number 3 d-man ….. all you can do is laugh at people like him, so self centered and self-aggrandizing, with no real clue as to what is going on ….. hey Kevin, the only reason you have that job is because you are buddies with the owner …. The other tough one to swallow is Lowe’s continued inclusion on Team Canada’s braintrust ….. but being buddies with big wigs and kissing arse is what Lowe is good at, and he has it nailed with Bob Nicholson at Hockey Canada too ….

– Talking with another hockey fan recently, who figured the Penguins are the deepest team in the league …. Have to go with Chicago on that one

– Have to go with Crosby as Hart Trophy winner …. So what if he missed games, the guy was hands down the best player in the league …. Ovechkin and St Louis get honorable mention ….

on facebook as group : Open Ice Hitter – Pure Hockey page : Open Icehitter

]]>http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/05/05/shanahan-to-suspend-a-red-wing-wait-and-see/feed/0krissmith1Oilers Front Office a Total Jokehttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/04/16/oilers-front-office-a-total-joke/
http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/04/16/oilers-front-office-a-total-joke/#commentsTue, 16 Apr 2013 17:17:28 +0000http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/?p=7639So buddy, you did a terrible job. You get a promotion! Welcome to the realm of the Edmonton Oilers, where incompetence, bad decisions and delusions of grandeur based on events 2 decades in the past are the order of the …]]>So buddy, you did a terrible job. You get a promotion! Welcome to the realm of the Edmonton Oilers, where incompetence, bad decisions and delusions of grandeur based on events 2 decades in the past are the order of the day.

As far as the “ Hockey Department “ or whatever Kevin Lowe, Craig MacTavish and whatever other self-congratulatory clowns are lingering around Northlands Coliseum these days in that joke of a front office refer to themselves as, it is a complete laughingstock now, will be for the foreseeable future, and has been for years …

Honestly, to hear that Kevin Lowe still has a job, and uses his position to fire Steve Tambellini, only to replace him with Craig MacTavish, and elevate Scott Howson, he of Columbus BueJacket fame, into MacTavish’s old post …. Well, the eyes roll, the head shakes, and dry laughs of disgust and disbelief emanate from ones mouth …..

What does Daryl Katz think is happening with his team ? Is he that blind to what his old pals, MacLowe ( as an espn writer referred to them as ) are doing with his very expensive team? Does Kevin Lowe just get to hang around forever, and go golfing with his players year after year as the playoffs start for teams who are run by much more competent hockey men ?

What a joke. That is about all one can say. And the sad part is, that the team might be good enough to make the playoffs next year based on the skill of kids MacTavish didn’t astutely discover or develop. But he will act like he did, and he is fool enough to think that he will have done a good job, and he will certainly take the credit for it. And Kevin Lowe will think to himself, “ I am so smart, I won all those Stanley Cups as a player, as a number 3 d-man, I am so smart, I am so smart, S-M-R-T, winning Stanley Cups as a player 20 years ago because I was on the same team as Gretz and Mess makes me the smartest hockey guy in the world, I am so smart, S-M-R-T !! “ ….. and they will pat themselves on the back publicly as the rest of us puke in our mouths ….

Look at the records of the new triumvirate of clowns. Lowe took a mediocre to poor team and made them into an outright doormat. He has one flukey playoff run, followed by nearly a decade of being awful. Just like Columbus, where Scott Howson proved to be completely inept. And MacTavish ? A loser coach, with the same flukey playoff run as Lowe, followed by being a loser coach for Canada on the international scene … and so these guys all get promoted …. In Lowe’s case, Daryl Katz has him pegged so high he can’t be promoted anymore ….

So good luck Oiler fans. Your team is being run by fellas that suck up to the owner, obviously, and fellas that don’t know how to add depth to a team, instead they enjoy running important players out of town …. Think Sheldon Souray, Ryan Whitney, Ryan Jones …..

Did Tambellini deserve to get fired ? Oh yeah, you better believe it. Lowe deserves the same fate. MacTavish should have never landed another job in the NHL above the level of assistant coach in charge of the penalty kill. And Scott Howson should have never landed another job aside from answering phones and arranging meetings …. But the world is not a fair or just place, and like Mr Eastwood said in a very famous film, “ Deserves got nuthin’ to do with it “ …. Instead, brown-nosing to a very wealthy drug store chain owner is the way to go for job security in Edmonton … and sorry for all those fans ….

So what happens to Ralphy boy ? Is he next to be scapregoated, or is he in on the old-boys club? Watching an interview with him on cbc’s after-hours HNIC, I was impressed … usually those interviews make me gag, then quickly change the channel, but Krueger seemed like an intelligent guy …. So lets see how this goes for him ….

In the meantime, MacTavish is hanging a photo of himself on his new office wall, and Kevin Lowe is sitting somewhere in Edmonton, telling all who will listen about how many Stanley Cups he won, back in the good ole days, in the 1980’s ….. oh, and don’t forget that one with the Rangers in ’94 …. And Lowe is certainly making sure that they all know it is because he is the smartest man in hockey …

on facebook as group : Open Ice Hitter – Pure Hockey page : Open Icehitter

]]>http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/04/16/oilers-front-office-a-total-joke/feed/0krissmith1Leafs vs Canadiens Means Something Againhttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/04/13/leafs-vs-canadiens-means-something-again/
http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/04/13/leafs-vs-canadiens-means-something-again/#commentsSat, 13 Apr 2013 17:54:37 +0000http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/?p=7633– For the first time in almost a full decade, the classic rivalry between the Habs and the Leaves has meaning in the NHL … barring a collapse, both teams look to be headed for the post season, a place …]]>– For the first time in almost a full decade, the classic rivalry between the Habs and the Leaves has meaning in the NHL … barring a collapse, both teams look to be headed for the post season, a place the Leaves have not been since the spring of 2004, and a place the Habs have only had middling success over the past 20 years …. Saturday night hockey in Canada will be the top program tonight, without question … A first round matchup between these teams would be awesome, a cultural event in Canada …

– Two players have huge impacts for these teams, totally unforeseen by any hockey observers: Nazem Kadri and Brendan Gallagher. Have to say it, Kadri never looked like he would amount to much …. But he has shown very good timing and sense for the game … Also have to say it, as Steve Simmons alluded to, Kadri has to put together a few more seasons like this one before he is anointed a true star player, and his agent better remember that this summer when they look to ink a new deal …. As for Gallagher in Montreal, the kid just keeps doing his thing, at every level … he is too small, just look at him, but he never hesitates, he plays his game the same way, with a great deal of success … Watching him as a Vancouver Giant or with the WJC team for Canada, the thought was always that he had peaked, and wouldn’t be able to have an impact in the NHL, yet here he is, and don’t be surprised if he wins the Calder Trophy …..

– If NHL players don’t go play in the Olympics next winter in Sochi, Russia, everyone involved in the “ negotiations “ needs to have their ass kicked hard … Rene Fasel, Bettman and Donkey Ferr … just make it happen, quit squabbling over petty issues …. The players all want to go, for the glory and opportunity, so put them on a plane and get them there ….. As for Ferr, he could get his ass kicked by a mule all day long and it still wouldn’t be enough to satiate the desire some of us have to see him punished for taking steps to ruin our game …

– For those who are not aware, one of the big issues in trying to get players in the Olympics again, it is insurance on those mega dollar NHL contracts …. Nothing like a little player greed, as pushed by the union, to scuttle something everyone wants, including the players …. Everyone playing in that tournament is set for life financially before they set foot on the ice, but they want tens of millions more guaranteed …. Nice …. Thanks again Donkey Ferr …

– Alex Ovechkin will go play for Russia at the Olympics, as he should, and good for him …. The guy looked mediocre as a star player for the early part of this season again, but has he ever turned it on, once again looking like a world beating All Star … tied with Stamkos for the league lead in goal scoring …

– How Adam Oates hung on to his job while the Caps were struggling is a mystery, but good on him too for keeping his head down and plugging away at coaching that team …. Ballsy move to put Ovechkin on the right side, but it is paying off now … Braden Holtby is playing well also, and even Mike Green seems to be finding his form … that is a name that was largely forgotten over the past few years …

– Looking at potential Stanley Cup dream matchups …. Penguins versus Blackhawks would be rabidly followed ….. Penguins versus the defending Champion Kings would be a wicked, wicked series ….. Bruins versus Blackhawks sounds interesting, as does Bruins versus Kings, a pair of big and physical teams … Do the Ducks have a legit shot ? Ducks versus Penguins ? Just don’t see Anaheim having the depth to get there…

– Don’t overlook the upset factor …. If one of the favorites fall early in the playoffs, it should not come as a surprise ….

– With New Jersey fading fast from the Eastern Conference playoff picture, they have to be set alongside the Panthers as a team that had a one-off fluke season last year … After Marty Brodeur retires, that team really loses its identity …. The Devils could be in real trouble, just look at the roster, not much there …. As for the Panthers, it was pointed out here a year ago that Dale Tallon would have to put together a few years of winning in Florida before getting any sort of recognition on these pages … it isn’t gonna happen ….

– So, Ryan Jones is now in the Oilers doghouse ….. good thing they have Mike Brown !! … ha ha ha … seriously though, that team needs to clean house, start with a completely new front office … Tambo brings in a fourth line scrapper, and that seems to be his master stroke at team building … yet that triumvirate of clowns in Edmonton will tell all that they are sticking to their plan of missing the playoffs and drafting high, like they have done for nearly a decade now … uh, clowns, at some point you have to start winning and make the playoffs … Does Daryl Katz let those rocket scientists run this team for another year ?

– Same dilemma in Philly, where Paul Holmgren deals for One-Year wonder Steve Mason in a laughable attempt at finding a gamebreaker of a goaltender … as has been stated before, Holmgren was a genius in his first two years, and an absolute goof ever since … they really need to get someone a little more stable running that team …. Why would Holmgren eve chase after a trade for Ryan Clowe, he of zero goals ? That is just stupid …. If anything, Holmgren should have went after Marian Gaborik, though it would have cost him Matt Read …

– Another GM who should be cleaning his desk out after game 48 is Jay Feaster …. The Flames are a bad, bad team …. The offer sheet fiasco should seal the deal – anyone not aware of the details in something like that … well, see ya …. And the same goes for Greg Sherman in Denver. Sherman could have royally screwed the Flames while taking care of his own dirty laundry, but wasn’t smart enough to seize the moment … Neither of these guys can be called smart hockey men …. Heck, Sherman isn’t a hockey man at all, he is a bean counter …

– As for the Wings, no need to call for Babcock’s or Holland’s heads …. Both guys are excellent at their jobs … Holland knows his cupboard is getting bare, and has some kids he wants to try. As for bringing in free agents, Holland has also been smart enough not to throw money at guys who aren’t going to perform …. And that is a long, long list of guys, so good on Holland … the fact is, that being at the level the Red Wings have attained, for 20 years, is hard to sustain, and at some point you will have a drop off …

– Seeing the Lightning deal away Cory Conacher was very surprising … makes one wonder what actually happened there … Was the kid clashing with the old vets ? Bizarre deal, no matter how badly the Lightning needed a goalie … It will be interesting watching how Conacher does with the Senators …

on facebook as group : Open Ice Hitter – Pure Hockey page : Open Icehitter

]]>http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/04/13/leafs-vs-canadiens-means-something-again/feed/0krissmith1GRETZKY RUMOURED TO JOIN LEAF OFFICEhttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/01/23/gretzky-rumoured-to-join-leaf-office/
http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/01/23/gretzky-rumoured-to-join-leaf-office/#commentsWed, 23 Jan 2013 22:49:41 +0000http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/?p=7377– A poor start to the year for a few teams from which a lot was expected …. That includes the Canucks, though 0 and 2 isn’t the end of the world …. Their disaster is basically in net, where …]]>– A poor start to the year for a few teams from which a lot was expected …. That includes the Canucks, though 0 and 2 isn’t the end of the world …. Their disaster is basically in net, where the guy they want to keep, Cory Schneider, was awful against Anaheim, and then the big name, Roberto Luongo, was less than impressive against the Ducks, and ditto against the Oilers …. So GM Mike Gillis is working or playing the press, saying he has a deal in place to deal the overrated Canuck goalie … and every hockey reporter in the world is guessing where Luongo will land …. Wait until Bob McKenzie speaks on the issue, as the rest of us can only speculate randomly ….

– One team that is flirting with disaster would be the Flyers, at 0 and 3 …. If they drop to 0 and 4, heads will or should roll, as that is a lot of losses to start a 48 game season … the Flyers played well against Pittsburgh, decent against Buffalo – a game in which two goals were called back, both of which should have counted – and though they had their moments against the Devils, the Flyers couldn’t score …. Giroux has 2 of the 3 goals this team has scored. The losses aren’t the sole fault of Bryzgalov, either …. Keep in mind that a short season will have some surprises and results that one wouldn’t expect, and that could well include a total disaster season for a team that was expected to do well … could be the Flyers …

– Pretty wild rumours going around that the Leafs could bring Wayne Gretzky into the fold, as a big boss for the hockey club … this is interesting because Gretz has never been associated with the Leafs in any manner, though he is from the area. So many questions arise from this possibility – is Gretz merely a figurehead, the ultimate salesman for the game in the biggest market ? Or does he have clout regarding the team that takes to the ice ? What would that mean for Dave Nonis ? …. Whatever the case, having Gretzky involved in the NHL again would be a plus ….

– Speaking of the Flyers, just had to laugh …. The league office has already summoned Saskatoon native Brayden Schenn, who will likely be suspended for a bodycheck on Anton Volchenkov …. What always comes to mind whenever a player is dragged before former Detroit Red Wings Brendan Shanahan and Colin Campbell – who are the suspension bosses for the league – is how current Red Wing defenseman Nik Kronwall has carte blanche to charge at players, launch himself with his feet coming off of the ice, and target players heads when a player is vulnerable and unable to defend himself …. Neither Shanahan nor Campbell has ever suspended Kronwall, though he should by this time be a serial repeat offender …. He tried to take a run at Ryan Johansen already this year, but was unable to make good on his bid for a cheap shot on the former Portland WinterHawk …. Johansen went after Kronwall, who promptly skated to the Wings bench ….. must be nice to have the league looking out for ya, hey Nik !!

– Of note, very interesting, is that when this article was published, neither the Wings or Panthers had any players suspended … curiously, Colin Campbell’s kid played for the Panthers at the time, and Campbell is a former Wing …. And a former Oiler, the only other team not to have anyone suspended … the Oilers have since watched Andy Sutton become a league whipping boy, and Kyle Quincey did ruin the Wings halo with a 1 game suspension … sorry, but to think that the suspension given Brendan Smith means anything during the preseason a year ago is laughable – Smith was destined for the AHL, and everybody knew it … the only suspension to date for a Panther was for comments made by Krys Barch, Mr. IQ when he opens his mouth ….

– Not surprised that Wade Redden was snapped up quickly by the St Louis Blues …. Redden’s was a case of a greedy agent slotting Redden into a spot with a desperate GM, then paying for it in pride because the team did not balk at the idea of paying for the mistake by putting Redden in the minors, though Redden would have been a decent 5 or 6 d-man on any team in the league …

– Scott Gomez, on the other hand, now that is something else … the Sharks took their time in signing the ankleskater, and just a hair above minimum salary …. Tells you there wasn’t much interest in Gomez, no doubt, easy to understand why …. Gomez enjoyed the benefit of the Jersey system, and after he left Jersey, and all that gravy icetime with great players, Gomez was exposed as an overated player, a poor to inept decision maker who routinely trapped teammates deep in the opposing zone, with no physical presence, no leadership, and not a lot of anything to offer at the NHL level …. So what was Doug Wilson thinking ? A total gamble is what this is, and it will be interesting to see how long Gomez lasts….. Gomez will be playing for about $200k this year, pro rated to a 48 game season, after taxes …

– As if the play time-out wasn’t enough, three players and their agents are in contract stalemates with their teams … how embarrassing is it that these guys pull this kind of stuff in regards to getting paid to play a game, when they have such a small body of work, yet demand to be paid so much money in a guaranteed contract ??? …. Jamie Benn, PK Subban and Ryan O’Reilly, wake up and grow up little boys ….

– Supposedly, the fate of Olympic hockey will be discussed in the near future amongst the powers that be … and the possible resurrection of the old World Cup or Canada Cup, whatever you want to call it … Now, the players want to play in the Olympics, everyone knows this. But the World Cup ? There has been nothing stopping the players from putting on the World Cup for years now, other than laziness and the fact that players make so much money now that they no longer care about tournaments like the World Cup, which started as the Canada Cup, and a pension plan money maker for the nhlpa …

– Big mistake for the NHL to block players from playing in the Olympics … you have to promote the game being played at the highest levels. The Soccer World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world, unrivalled, because it is world-wide best on best … of course, one would think that idea would motivate the nhlpa to hold a World Cup … but …

– Ever notice that the good football tv guys are ex -players or coaches who were elite ? And then notice that hockey tv guys are all ex -players and coaches who were mostly marginal, especially when it comes to the players ? You watch football, and hear Michael Strahan talking, you listen. Terry Bradshaw, you listen and can believe what he says. But hockey ? Aaron Ward ? Mike Johnson ? Glenn Healy ? Pierre McGuire ? Mike Milbury ? …. The networks can’t do better than that ? A bunch of journeyman and second rate execs ? What is Paul Coffey doing ? Try throwing some huge cash at Scott Bowman, get him out of Chicago. Even Grapes was only ever a mediocre coach, on a great team. Ray Bourque would be respected on the air … Come on TSN, NBC and CBC … quit sticking us with shmucks and shmoes as hockey analysts that spent time in the league …

– Don’t get too worked up about an 0 and 2 start, no matter how much ink and air the press throw at it ….

Ringing the Boards – Carlo Colaiacovo is hurt … again … already … built like a cheap toy … thought things might be better for him in Detroit ….. Awesome debut by Vladimir Tarasenko of the St Louis Blues – this kid first made waves at the WJC in Saskatoon a few years back … Have to say it, the Ducks looked very, very good in their dismantling of the Canucks …

]]>http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/01/23/gretzky-rumoured-to-join-leaf-office/feed/0krissmith1CANADIAN COLLAPSE IN RUSSIA – NO WJC MEDALhttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/01/05/canadian-collapse-in-russia-no-wjc-medal/
http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/01/05/canadian-collapse-in-russia-no-wjc-medal/#commentsSat, 05 Jan 2013 19:55:28 +0000http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/?p=71514 wins 0 losses in the round robin against their pool. 0 and 2 in the medal round. And that should do it for Steve Spott’s coaching career at the World Junior level. With a supposedly stacked roster, Team Canada …]]>4 wins 0 losses in the round robin against their pool. 0 and 2 in the medal round. And that should do it for Steve Spott’s coaching career at the World Junior level. With a supposedly stacked roster, Team Canada will return from the distant Russian city with two boot prints on the seat of their pants – one huge American boot print after getting completely dismantled by the USA, and another boot print from the host Russian team, who defeated Canada in the Bronze medal game.

4 years and no Gold. Weak goaltending. At times, uninspired play. Questionable coaching decisions, and though it wasn’t as bad as other years, a couple of mistakes as far as roster spots. The pressure on Team Canada to win Gold next year will be immense – the Red Leaf is overdue.

Lets start with goaltending. Mac Subban. He wasn’t all that good leading up to the tournament, but the TSN boys sold us on the idea that Subban would get better as the tournament played out. Looked like they might be right until the US kids lit him up with 4 goals on 16 shots. So much for the gamebreaking and clutch goaltending that is desired in a game that holds Gold implications. Jordan Binnington gave up 3 goals on 5 shots in the bronze medal game … for a team that wants Gold, the goaltending wasn’t good enough …

The most glaring error personnel wise was on the blueline. Ryan Murphy was in over his head, making a plethora mistakes. He was sold to us as a smooth skating defenseman, an offensive specialist, an overage Ryan Ellis if you will. The reality of the situation is that his club team coach in the OHL also happens to be the coach of Team Canada, so Murphy makes the team. Undersized, with zero physical presence, a short and choppy stride, Murphy’s hockey sense is overrated.

Doug Hamilton was okay, but nothing more. Brian Burke can be happy with the play of Morgan Rielly, who moved the puck well and created scoring chances while playing respectably in his own end. Griffin Reinhart was okay before getting nailed with a suspension. Tyler Wotherspoon and Scott Harrington were okay, and Xavier Oullette did not look out of place. But nobody set the tone or controlled games. That was the expectation for Doug Hamilton – not dominating or making the All Star team is a disappointment for the highly touted Bruins pick, who was part of the Phil Kessel deal …

Up front for Canada, the Nuge was awesome in every game, except against the USA, where the towering and smooth skating American defenders kept the Nuge in check much better than most NHL teams could have. Jonathan Huberdeau was disappointing until the final game against Russia – Huberdeau has an amazing skillset and is a great skater, but has regressed since his dream draft year. You watch the guy and think how dominant he could be, you wait for it to happen, but in 2 WJC tournaments, he has only teased us.Scheifele and Strome have been okay, but you expect more from guys their age in their second tourney. Nate McKinnon has been average, not getting much ice. Jonathan Drouin started well, then hit a wall. What happened to Boone Jenner ? Where did he go ? The rest of the group was pedestrian, with no one stepping up to seize the opportunity for glory …

So in a year where we all expected Gold, again, we get nothing. And the biggest reason is that no one other than the Nuge was able to dominate. Nobody was ready for the big stage. And coaching has to be looked at. Line combinations and defensive pairings, taking a kid from his club team …. Sorry Steve Spott, but you get a huge F for this performance.

A few notes – the Nuge was named to the All Star Team, as well as Best Forward, and led the tournament in scoring. USA goaltender John Gibson was tournament MVP, Best Goalie and All Star Goalie. Jacob Trouba was Best d-man and an All Star …. Other All Stars were US captain Jake McCabe, Swedish forward Filip Forsberg and US forward John Gaudreau ….

Interesting that Russian forward Mikhail Grigorenko was overlooked. Grigorenko was dominant, far more than John Gaudreau, though Gaudreau put up more points. Nail Yakupov had a disappointing tournament until the Bronze medal game, where he bagged two goals as the Russians topped Canada.

And it turns out that Seth Jones was right – the US, coached by former NHL’er Phil Housley, beat Sweden for Gold …. All you can say is that the best team won …

For Canada, this is the worst finish in 14 years, since the disaster in 1998 when Roberto Luongo led Canada to an 8th place finish, including a loss to Kazakhstan

]]>http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2013/01/05/canadian-collapse-in-russia-no-wjc-medal/feed/0krissmith1HOLIDAY SHOWCASE – THE WJC & HOCKEY NOTEShttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2012/12/25/holiday-showcase-the-wjc-hockey-notes/
http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2012/12/25/holiday-showcase-the-wjc-hockey-notes/#commentsTue, 25 Dec 2012 19:59:41 +0000http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/?p=7130– Two biggest questions for Canada at the 2012-13 WJC …. What impact will the Nuge have ? How dominant can he be ? This is going to be the first opportunity for Ryan Hugent-Hopkins to carry a team on …]]>– Two biggest questions for Canada at the 2012-13 WJC …. What impact will the Nuge have ? How dominant can he be ? This is going to be the first opportunity for Ryan Hugent-Hopkins to carry a team on such a big stage … it will be interesting to see how he does. The other question ? Goaltending. Malcolm Subban was all but given the job, but so far, he has had trouble handling the pressure, allowing soft goals. Weak goaltending has cost the Canadian dearly over the past 3 years. Do they get the reliable and clutch netminding they need this year ?

– Pretty low of the Ottawa Senators to keep Mika Zibenajad in the AHL ….not sure if this is a Eugene Melnyk patriot game or a move by Bryan Murray to help Canada in some demented manner, but anyway you cut it, it is wormy … the kid is struggling in the AHL. Let him play for his country, give him some confidence by allowing him success against younger players … looks petty and manipulative on the part of Senators …

– Just have to laugh after watching Boone Jenner cream a Swedish player, and get suspended 3 games … anyone surprised by this must have never watched international hockey before … hey, the officiating in North America is terrible, biased and inconsistent. Across the pond, things only get worse …. Team Canada, year after year after year, show an unbelievable degree of foolishness and lack of preparation when it comes to dealing with officials who are deathly afraid of the rough play brought by Canadians …. Boys, wake up !! You can’t cross the line – you can’t even approach the line without getting called. This is a failure on the part of the coaches more than anything else, as well as an indictment of the officiating in North America, in regards to how much they allow the players to break the rules without getting called …

– Not only is this WJC going to be a measuring stick for the dominance of the Nuge, the same will apply to Nail Yakupov. Yakupov was okay in the tournament last year – now, as a drafted player, he will be expected to dominate. Can he deliver ?

– Loved the TSN show on great Canadian WJC players … Jordan Eberle at number 1 is a fitting acknowledgement for Eberle’s stunning performances …

– Also loved that Pierre McGuire was not on the panel. Easily the most annoying and dorkiest tv guy in the business, McGuire can ruin a broadcast all by himself with some of the most foolish and naïve comments possible ….

– Good on Seth Jones to proclaim the US as the best team …. He is setting the bar high for his team. Nothing wrong with having some expectations. The kid doesn’t say this stuff all the time, so he is allowed to say it now … it is when guys are always blabbing away that they need to be criticized and called down …

– Interesting development for Canada – Jonathan Drouin is the 2nd line left winger. Nathan McKinnon is the spare forward. Lets see how this plays out …. Coaches in the past have handled young players foolishly ( see Craig Hartsburg / John Tavares ) at great cost to the team. Is Steve Spott making the correct decision here ?

– For those that don’t know the backstory on Craig Hartsburg and John Tavares …. Hartsburg cut Tavares as a 16 year old, instead taking Sam Gagner. Gagner was awful at the WJC tournament, not having the hockey sense or footspeed to be able to compete. Tavares tore up the OHL that year. Why did Hartsburg take Gagner ? Lets see here .. oh yeah, Hartsburg played with Sam’s dad on the old Minnesota North Stars … hmmmm … buddy old pal ??? …. So the next year, Hartsburg pretty much has to take Tavares on the team. Hardly lets Tavares on the ice. Tavares has like 8 shifts and 4 goals scored, is leading the team …. Asked why he isn’t getting more ice time for Tavares, Hartsburg makes one of the stupidest comments in the history of coaching … along the lines of “ He is getting there, but isn’t quite ready of reliable “ ….. Want to know why Craig Hartsburg will never coach in the NHL again, just look at how he handled John Tavares ….

– A couple of quick comments on the lockout … again, why are the young players not speaking out ? Why isn’t Jordan Eberle ripping Shawn Horcoff ? Eberle and the young kids like Hall and the Nuge are being bullied by the union and older players like Horcoff. Horcoff has been paid millions that he never earned and doesn’t deserve. Eberle is being shafted out of about a million bucks this year because of guys like Horcoff. The Nuge and Taylor Hall are being shafted out of over $3 million by the likes of Don Ferr, Shawn Horcoff and the union …. Eberle will make about $60k in the AHL, Hall and Nuge about $120k ….

– Get rid of guaranteed contracts, and the play time out stops right now …

– What are the actual players so afraid of ? A little accountability ? Being able to look fans, teammates and owners in the eye, with everyone knowing they actually earned their money ? We all know the union is afraid of losing status and free money, we know agents are afraid of losing the ability to suck money from everyone involved …. But the players ? Not proving to be a smart group of people …

– Foremost amongst those, Ron Hainsey sure seems to have ticked off everyone on the owners side. You would think a guy who has made millions by player FOR owners would have a bit of class and appreciation, but no …. This is the entire problem – the union has the players brainwashed into thinking that everyone owes them millions, just because …. Union greed and entitlement is no more virtuous than owner greed ..

– Big question for the players – Why not start your own league ? …. I think we all know the answer to that ..

– Really disgusted by all the players that ripped Hamrlik for saying what many others think … typical union bullying …. And a question for the players foolishly running their yaps ? How much money have you all made this year ?? Because I think Mike Illith is still selling a lot of pizza. Daryl Katz is selling cough syrup and aspirin. Ed Snider is selling cable tv. These guys don’t need the NHL to make cash. That distinction falls solely on the players ….

– Whatever. Cancel the season. Crush the union. Bring in performance based pay. End of Story.

]]>http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2012/12/25/holiday-showcase-the-wjc-hockey-notes/feed/0krissmith1SPOILED AND RICH NHL PLAYERS DISRESPECT FANShttp://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2012/10/18/spoiled-and-rich-nhl-players-disrespect-fans/
http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/2012/10/18/spoiled-and-rich-nhl-players-disrespect-fans/#commentsFri, 19 Oct 2012 04:10:55 +0000http://blogs.thestarphoenix.com/?p=6889An average salary of $2.2 million isn’t good enough for NHL players. But it sure is a good way to insult hockey fans. Today the nhlpa and its members, the upstanding players for teams in the NHL, when they feel …]]>An average salary of $2.2 million isn’t good enough for NHL players. But it sure is a good way to insult hockey fans. Today the nhlpa and its members, the upstanding players for teams in the NHL, when they feel like playing, for millions, decided that they don’t feel that way right now. $2.2 million is an estimate of what the average salary would be had the players accepted the league proposal. But these righteous dudes don’t want to drop that average from its current value of $2.7 million per year. According to formerly respected veteran NHL’er Shane Doan, who has sullied his reputation over the past few months by whining after his Phoenix Coyotes were eliminated by the playoff juggernaut LA Kings and then attempting to sell his services for $7.5 million per year ( Doan is a hard working player, strong as an ox, but unfortunately his hockey sense is also on about the same level as an ox ), the league will hurt the players by not paying them an average of $2.7 million per year. $2.2 would be a painful average salary ?? Alright Doan. Thanks for confirming that you are a stunningly greedy man. A guy who has played nearly 20 years in the league, having earned over $40 million, and he is hurting for cash ???

What the players fail to recognize is that by taking such a hard stand against the owners, and refusing to play hockey for millions, they are insulting their fans. The players and their union are playing this situation out as if they were a union of regular people fighting tooth and nail for a cost of living increase. By doing that, they are alienating a massive segment of their fanbase. Sure, the owners are greedy too. Anyone who has amassed a personal fortune large enough to own an NHL hockey team fits the greed profile. That is not in dispute. The players are not hurting financially however, no matter what Shane Doan says. His bank account should attest to that, unless he has wasted and squandered his sizeable fortune. Even for the players to have signed the owners initial proposal, they would all be wealthy and privileged individuals. By refusing to sign the second offer, they are showing that they are just as greedy as the owners. By not only saying that the financial breakdown isn’t good enough for them, but that they also want a large say in how the league is run on the ice as well as in the boardroom, the players have overstepped their bounds by a large margin. The union is out of control.

NHL hockey has, or had, such an appeal in Canada and parts of the US like New England and Minnesota because many people had played the game and knew of guys that had gone on to play in the NHL. So now for these people, of a similar background to many NHL fans, to be saying that millions aren’t enough, and that they also want to tell the team owners, the people that have made them wealthy, how to run their business, well, it is a deep insult to the fans, a serious slap in the face. The nhlpa , the players, are coming off as spoiled brats. They are acting as though they are entitled to millions, as if we all owe them something.

Hearing the likes of Sidney Crosby speaking about his union is sickening. This is a guy who has earned a reported $38 million playing in the NHL. He is talking about what is fair, so on and so forth. And he won’t go back and play until he gets his way. Okay.

Too many sites go on about the numbers, breaking down this and that. A lot of articles are written containing statements and quotes from the principals of the opposing parties. It is nothing more than malarkey. The bottom line here is greed from both sides, and there isn’t any other way to say it. There is no point in trying to justify one side versus the other with the numbers. They are both going to stay rich no matter how this plays out. How rich is another question, as many people are so choked at both parties that it is hard to say how many fans will take a pass on the league. That will hurt the players more than the owners – never forget that the owners don’t need the NHL teams, they are basically hobbies that sometimes happen to pay out handsomely. To spend much time analyzing the politician-esque statements of Ferr or Daly is pointless.

The players are ruining it. In actuality, the owners have been pretty good about letting the players have a say in the business over the past 20 years. They have made a lot of players very wealthy, and put thousands of players in a very comfortable financial situation. The nhlpa, which at one time served a legitimate purpose, has now become nothing more than a tool for greed. It is the prime example of all that can be wrong with a union – they want all kinds of cash, they want to take everything they can get, and they want no responsibility or accountability. Between the players and the people that run their union, they have no respect for the fans. They have no regard for the game or its status. They have become so brainwashed by Don Ferr and his union predecessors that they have forgotten their roots. Even though the owners want to trim back the players share of the pie, the players would still be very fortunate. Instead of proceeding with any degree of grace or humility, and taking even the second offer, the players are pushing on in the pursuit of greed. That so many of the marquee players are making public appearances in support of the union is bad judgement on their part. They are tarnishing their reputation with the fans, and at the end of the day, it is the fans who decide how successful this pro hockey venture is. The NHL doesn’t have an Alex Medvedev who is going to bankroll and promote the entire league as a hobby.